Lok Sabha could follow RS model on Question Hour rules

CAN THEY BE MUTED?: A scene of ruckus in the Lok Sabha earlier this month. Incidents like these have prompted an indication from Speaker Meira Kumar that rules of Question Hour might be amended, which m,ight allow the session to go on even without candidates being present. Photo: PTI

Lok Sabha could follow the example set by Rajya Sabha to ensure that no question in the Question Hour go unanswered even if the member in whose name it is listed is absent.

An indication to this effect was made when Speaker Meira Kumar favoured a similar initiative for the Lower House too.

She appreciated the efforts of Rajya Sabha Chairman Hamid Ansari to amend the rules to ensure that the Question Hour runs smoothly despite absence of members.

“It is a very good effort. I hope the Lok Sabha Rules Committee will take it up,” the Speaker said.

The Question Hour in Lok Sabha had collapsed during one of the sittings in the just concluded session due to absence of 28 members who had given notices. Such a collapse of the Question Hour had occurred after nearly two decades.

Faced with the growing trend of MPs remaining absent after their questions get listed for the Question Hour, Rajya Sabha has recently amended rules which stipulated that no such question should go unanswered even if the member in whose name the question is listed is absent.

In order to give more members the chance to ask questions, it also decided that no member will ask more than one question a day.

Demanding that rules be changed since many members were absent, CPI-M member Brinda Karat had said in the last session that the question was the property of the House and the chairperson should let other members ask it.

Upset over many members not being present during Question Hour in one of the days during the current session, the Chairman had promised that rules would be changed.

The Speaker had also expressed concern over the absenteeism during the Question Hour.